Senate Bill 149 Summary

• Authorizes district courts to refer eviction cases to mediation by agreement of the parties at any time while a civil case is pending.

• Prohibits landlords from recovering possession of a dwelling, increasing rent, or decreasing services within 180 days if the tenant exercised legal rights or complained about tenantability, bed bugs, or repair issues (unless landlord provides written notice of grounds for action in good faith).

• Limits tenants to invoking anti-retaliation protections once per 12-month period.

• Establishes liability for landlords or agents who violate anti-retaliation provisions, including actual damages, punitive damages of $100-$2,000 per retaliatory act, and court costs plus attorney fees.

• Requires municipalities with more than 100,000 residents to maintain and publicly publish on their website a list of rental property code violations that includes the property owner name, violation date, specific code violated, and any fines or penalties assessed.

• Effective date: November 1, 2025.